Hospital hosts rare wedding for couple

• Thanks to employees at the hospital, an expectant bride who was confined to bed rest and her worried husband were able to keep their wedding date.

It's not every day you have a wedding in the chapel at Mercy Memorial Hospital.

But thanks to staff and employees in the obstetrics department on the hospital's third floor, Friday's union of Phillip M. Brock and Amy Kinner came off without a hitch.

Mr. Brock, 41, and Ms. Kinner, 39, had planned to marry Friday at the Monroe County Courthouse. But when she became pregnant and then this week was confined to the hospital due to doctor-ordered bed rest, the wedding was in jeopardy of being postponed.

That's when Natasha Welker, a registered nurse in the department, and other nurses got together Wednesday and saved the day for the couple. They arranged to hold the wedding in the chapel so Ms. Kinner would not have to leave the hospital and garnered donations from local businesses to pay for meals, flowers and a cake.

"They're such nice people," Mrs. Welker said after the brief ceremony. "We as a department were so excited to give her this. We are very happy for them. Special things happen every day here and this was a nice thing for the hospital."

About 20 employees attended the ceremony, including some from surgery and other departments and wearing their uniforms. Some employees squeezed inside the tiny chapel on the first floor to witness the event while others waited patiently outside and listened to the music, including Kenny Chesney's romantic hit, "You Had Me From Hello." Some of the employees, including Mrs. Welker and her two children, came in on their day off.

When the couple emerged from the chapel, they were applauded and showered with confetti by the gathering. The new Mrs. Brock got back in a wheelchair holding red roses for a trip back to her hospital room. The wheelchair was decorated with big red balloons.

"Does this say Just Married?" Mrs. Brock said, wiping away a tear. "Thank you everyone for making this special."

Carolyn Frost of Temperance, a longtime friend of Mrs. Brock, served as matron of honor and Andrew Kinner, Mrs. Brock's son, served as best man. He escorted his mother into the chapel, which was decorated with rose petals on the floor and white ribbons wrapped around the dozen seats. Both Andrew and Mr. Brock wore cowboy hats. Rev. Jacobs paid tribute to the couple's new "extended family" of friends and employees at the hospital for making the arrangements.

"There are many strands of work here in this union," the chaplain told the audience. "This union is a reminder that God is still at work in our lives and their lives ... they will need your continuing love and support."

The couple held hands and faced each other during the exchange of vows and wedding rings and then lighted a unity candle together. Mrs. Brock wore a forest green dress and white sandals for the ceremony while her husband wore a light blue long-sleeve shirt with a red corsage. Both husband and wife wiped away tears during the ceremony.

Rev. Jacobs said afterward he has officiated at about five weddings during his 11 years at the hospital.

"They're all special," he said. "We call on God's blessing for each couple. This one was unique because of what the (employees) did upstairs and the staff made me aware of it."

The couple recalled how they met three years ago at a tavern and she asked him to bring her a rose, which he did.

"It took me three hours to say thank you," she said.

Ms. Frost, who has been friends with the bride for 15 years, added: "She wanted a cowboy long before this."

The couple said they wanted to get married before the baby arrives. Mrs. Brock's due date is Aug. 10. They are expecting a boy, and they plan to name him Dakota Michael.

Faced with the prospect of postponing the wedding, Mr. Brock joked that he considered "sneaking" his fiance out of the hospital to make sure she didn't miss it. He originally planned to sing Mr. Chesney's song and have it recorded and played during the wedding.

Mr. Brock works for a window company in Toledo while his wife does medical billing.

"I'm so overwhelmed with the way it came about," he said about the wedding.

Monroe Events
click to expand

About

We're an afternoon daily with morning weekend editions. Monroe County is our specialty. The Monroe News is your only source for local news, high school sports, photos, events, crime and more in Monroe County, MI.